


Love is Everywhere

by GH_123



Series: Christmas Prompts [3]
Category: Hollyoaks
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:53:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21839281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GH_123/pseuds/GH_123
Summary: Based upon this promptDaisy: Ah, I'm so happy you still want to write jarry fics!I'm a really big fan of missing scene fics, so maybe one that has a missing scene from Christmas 2016, 2017 (when they were living together!), 2018 (so sad), and then a happy, au version of their Christmas in 2019? I would love to read that (or any of the other prompts already mentioned 💗)Thank you so much for requesting. Really hope you enjoy :)
Relationships: James Nightingale/Harry Thompson, Romeo Quinn/James Nightingale
Series: Christmas Prompts [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1571641
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	Love is Everywhere

**Author's Note:**

> Based upon this prompt
> 
>  _Daisy: Ah, I'm so happy you still want to write jarry fics!_  
>  I'm a really big fan of missing scene fics, so maybe one that has a missing scene from Christmas 2016, 2017 (when they were living together!), 2018 (so sad), and then a happy, au version of their Christmas in 2019? I would love to read that (or any of the other prompts already mentioned 💗) 
> 
> Thank you so much for requesting. Really hope you enjoy :)

**2016**

Christmas Day. That one day of the year where families near and far simply make the effort to go and stay with relatives that they really have no interest in. Cousins that haven’t spoken since last Christmas, aunts and uncles that can barely remember your name because there are now so many of you. 

James didn’t have that, not because he didn’t have a family that wanted to see him, his immediate family were desperate to spend the festive season with him. It was James that would make up excuses and decline as politely as he could. 

He was used to being alone, he had really spent his whole life alone. Apart from the friends and three years spent at university, his life had always just been him. That’s really the way he liked it. 

He wasn't a complete scrooge, he would take part in some traditions, without thinking he always bought gifts. Sometimes very elaborate, expensive and over the top ones to make up for his lack of presence. He also found himself over indulging ever so slightly at this time of year too. He just didn’t care for the fake formalities, he saw no need for it.

Why should he spend the one day of the year that is supposed to be about family and love with a family that he had never really felt part of, not truly. 

The only place he felt like he belonged was here, alone in his apartment and that is exactly how he spent his Christmas. 

**2017**

“I um...I think I’m going to be spending Christmas at my dads this year” Harry muttered that evening as the two of them lounged on the sofa. Despite Harry knowing that James wouldn’t really care where he spent the festive season, he was still a little nervous about broaching the subject.

Harry and James had always been friendly with one another, friendly being an understatement. As soon as they met there was this wicked glint in James’ eye, he had found someone young and gorgeous to fool around with, to have a meaningless fling with, thats all he was after. Harry was like a lost little puppy, desperate for the tiniest display of affection from anyone, he lapped up James’ attention, no matter how damaging it was. 

The months went by and whatever it was that James and Harry had, continued, alongside Harrys blooming romance with Ste. It made James sick to the stomach to know that the man he slept with was also sleeping with what he could only describe as a tracksuit hanger, but he also loved the secrecy of it all, the stolen moments for just a few minutes whenever they could, the sneaking around, James loved being a dirty little secret. He also loved knowing that he satisfied Harry in ways Ste never could. 

The last month for Harry and Ste had suddenly spiralled out of control mainly fuelled by Ste’s drug habit and addiction. Harry had started to distance himself from James in a bid to try to rebuild the family he had with Ste and the kids. When their relationship ended through homelessness, prostitution and Harry hurting the ones he loved, he found himself back in James’ arms. He was like a real life superhero who swooped in at the final hour to rescue Harry, he couldn’t have been more grateful, everyone he loved and cared for had turned their back on him, all except James. He was still there fighting for him, never once giving up.

The last couple of weeks Harry had spent not just back in James’ arms but also under his roof. He had a home, maybe not a permanent home but it was something for now, it was soft blankets and feeling safe. It felt like ages since he had had that. 

“That’s okay” James replied. He knew since Harry was back on the straight and narrow he had started to rebuild his relationship with his father. It was the next big logical step to spend Christmas with him and his siblings. He wouldn’t deprive him of that. 

“What will you be doing?” Harry asked. He knew how James felt about Christmas, about anything remotely family orientated. He hated the thought of him being alone.

“Probably just the normal. I might go over to mums for a little bit, nothing special” it made Harry’s heart hurt that James described his Christmas plans as not being special, Christmas was always such a special time of year for him. 

“You know that actually makes me a little sad” he pouted as he turned to face James on the sofa. Since living with James and despite still not really knowing what they were, Harry’s feelings for him had grown. He was more than just the man he slept with behind his boyfriends back. He was something more. Much more.

“Why?” James looked at him, searching his face for an answer. 

“Because” Harry leaned in closer, they had been intimate many times before, but the sudden closeness seemed different to what James had previously been used to. It was softer and gentle. “I think I’m falling in love you, James.”

**2018**

How things had changed in just the space of a year. James found himself alone yet again however, this time round it wasn’t really through choice and for the first time his heart actually felt heavy with a deep sense of loneliness. 

From declaring that he was falling in love with James, Harry was now planning his up and coming wedding to Ste. An event that made James feel physically sick. Harry had never left Ste for James, not really, yet their affair continued way into the summer until Harry finally decided to focus on Ste and an engagement soon followed. 

Where one thing was lost from his life, another was gained. Gained in the form of a son, Romeo. A seventeen year old boy conceived on what James would described as one of the worst days of this life. They had only met eight weeks ago and his world had been completely flipped upside. Everything he thought he knew about his teenage years completely tainted by the secret of his son. 

Naturally, his reaction hadn’t been great, he had pushed Romeo away, so far away that the father/son relationship Romeo had spent his life dreaming of were shattered. James couldn’t be a father, he didn’t want to be a father, he couldn’t look at Romeo without it being a constant reminder of that night. He had no idea where Romeo was this Christmas Day, he was surprised he even actually cared. 

_Merry Christmas my darling boy xxx_

James’ phone vibrated and he read the message from his mother as he glanced over at the device. She was feeling guilty, he knew that much. She had been the one to keep Romeo a secret for all those years, knowing about Romeo could have been instrumental in changing the family dynamics. Not that James knew for sure how he would have reacted but Romeo could have changed so much about his life. Maybe if he had known he wouldn’t be the cold and heartless guy that was sat alone on Christmas Day about drink their fourth bottle of wine. 

**2019**

James Nightingale never in a millions years thought that he would enjoy a Christmas Day, let alone be it one he enjoyed and meticulously planned with family. One could argue that the Christmas period and the years hadn’t been kind to him, but now it was like everything had come together. The family Christmas he so desperately deserved was here. 

“Is she just tired or has she had too much to drink?” Harry asked Romeo as he draped a blanket over Juliet who was curled up in a ball on one of the sofas sound asleep. 

“Probably a little bit of both” Romeo kept his voice quiet in an attempt to not wake his little sister. He carefully positioned himself on the edge of the sofa where she was sleeping.

The day so far had been filled with Christmas festivities. Opening presents as cheesy songs and movies idly played on in the background, the Christmas dinner, which for the first time in his life James had cooked and if he did say so himself made a pretty amazing job of it, copious amounts of alcohol had been drunk and so many laughs had been had.

“Can we actually watch a movie now?” Romeo asked as he reached forwards and grabbed a handful of crisps off the coffee table. James had lived with Romeo long enough now to know his eating habits, but today especially, he was surprised by how much the boy could eat.

“Yeah, find something to watch” James called from the kitchen as he poured champagne for the three of them. 

“Love Actually” Harry suggested.

“Your taste in movies is worse than dads” Romeo laughed. 

“I think you’ll find Love Actually is a classic” James smiled as he handed round the glasses of bubbly and set down the box of chocolates before sitting down and snuggling up to Harry. 

“Thanks for today dad” Romeo spoke almost as if he was embarrassed to utter the words. 

“For what?” 

“Can’t remember the last time we had a Christmas like this” he smiled a smile of pure contentment. 

“Do you know what, me neither” James smiled, as he felt himself cuddle further into Harry as the movie played on in the background. For the very first time, James was watching this movie and the words resonated with him.

_It seems to me that **love** is everywhere. _


End file.
